All the News, Reviews, Guides and Reports on Electric Cars

After years of promises dating back more than five years, Infiniti appears once again ready to introduce an all-electric luxury vehicle. Its previous Infiniti LE, which had become a fixture of major auto shows, was killed in 2014. Alfonsa Albaisa, Infiniti’s design chief, this week confirmed that the luxury marque will launch a standalone EV in 2019. Albaisa said it would be a new model—not a luxury version of the Nissan LEAF or an electric version of an existing gas-powered vehicle.

Toyota announced today that the design of the Prius Prime will add some excitement when the company introduces a high-performance version of the plug-in hybrid in Japan. While Toyota has not yet confirmed plans to launch GR option packages in the US market, the Prius Prime is the only model in the new performance GR sub-brand that is currently sold in the US. In Japan, the more stylish version of the plug-in hybrid, which offers 25 miles of all-electric range, will be called the Prius PHV GR Sport.

The first deliveries of the Tesla Model 3 occurred in late July 2017, when 30 employees received the keys to company’s new small electric car. Yet, for the nearly half-million reservation-holders who are eager to take ownership of their own Model 3, there will be months of waiting. The most flexible buyers—those who placed early reservations and who are willing to compromise on desired features—could wait only a couple months. On the other hand, if you aren’t at the top of the waiting list and if insist on buying a specific model such as the 220-mile $35,000 variant (or if dual-motor all-wheel-drive is a must), you might not get your Model 3 until late 2018.

General Motors yesterday confirmed to PluginCars.com that approximately 100 Chevrolet Bolt electric cars were equipped with faulty battery cells that left drivers stranded after experiencing a complete loss of propulsion while driving. In some cases, the loss of propulsion was nearly instantaneous—with the car quickly stopping and the driver not being able to drive forward or reverse out of harm’s way. Other drivers had up to about five minutes to maneuver to safety.

Nissan debuted the second-generation LEAF on Tuesday night. The new version of the world’s best-selling all-electric car will get a bump in driving range to 150 miles (from its current 107 miles) while keeping its price below $30,000. At the same time, Nissan toned down the model’s geeky high-tech looks of the outgoing EV—replacing it with the brand’s more conventional design features (such as its V-Motion grille, two-tone color scheme, and floating roof).The 2018 Nissan LEAF goes on sale in the US early next year.

The new season of international auto shows kicks off in Frankfurt next week. While big industry car shows are often more about sending a message than revealing actual production plans, the Frankfurt event looks promising for EV fans. There will be a few unveilings of refreshed electric car models offering new designs and features—as well as pre-production vehicles showing progress toward market introduction in the next couple of years. And of course, we can expect a few helpings of eye-candy in the form of way-out fantastical electric concepts with advanced autonomous features.

General Motors today began notifying a couple of hundred owners of the Chevrolet Bolt all-electric car about a battery problem that could leave them stranded. In an exclusive interview with PluginCars.com, Kevin Kelly, ‎senior manager for advanced technology communications at General Motors, said that the problem might affect less than one percent of early Bolt production models. The company is proactively reaching out to “fewer than a couple hundred customers” that could be impacted, according to Kelly. The remedy is to replace the entire battery pack, even if only one cell is faulty.

In what appears to be an unwinding of its US presence, Smart’s 85 dealerships will be reduced to only 27 locations in the coming months. The new version defies the trend for electric cars, which commonly receive upgrades in range and power in successive generations. But the 2017 Smart Electric Drive provides just 58 miles of driving range, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The 2018 Nissan LEAF will be officially revealed on September 6. That’s when current EV shoppers can fully evaluate the new LEAF—and how its design and technical specifications compare to an expanding selection of new battery-powered vehicles. Thanks to teaser images and leaked information emerging in recent weeks, we already have indications about key figures, including price, battery size, and motor output.

The all-electric version of the 2017 Honda Clarity started arriving in dealerships in the past few weeks. The full-size sedan, which is only available in California and Oregon, leases for $269 a month for 36 months with $1,999 due at signing. The all-electric Clarity can travel 89 miles on a single charge. That puts Honda in the unfortunate position of introducing an EV with a driving range significantly lower than the new generation of electric cars.